Doctor Who is entering its Gatwa era, and it’s definitely something to celebrate. The long-running sci-fi series recently debuted its Christmas special “The Church on Ruby Road.” In the special, the Doctor must face a horde of baby-stealing goblins along with his new friend, Ruby Sunday, whose mysterious past coincidentally ties to both the baby’s and the Doctor’s.

Gatwa’s Doctor Oozes Charisma and Charm

“The Church on Ruby Road” marks Ncuti Gatwa’s first full episode leading the iconic sci-fi series; he previously appeared at the end of Doctor Who’s recent trio of 60th anniversary specials when David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor “bi-generated.” This special kicks off the Gatwa era in a big way — and one that should leave both old fans and new excited for the next chapter of Doctor Who.

First, Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor is an instant charmer. He absolutely oozes charisma; you’ll fall in love with him immediately. Gatwa easily commands the screen and draws you into the adventure. He’s kind, he’s clever, he’s quick, and he’s stylish to boot. Watching him, you can’t wait to see what he does next. Is it too early to say I think he’s going to be a lot of people’s favorite Doctor? Maybe, but I can’t help thinking that’s the case.

Doctor Who Christmas Special - Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa in "The Church on Ruby Road"

“The Church on Ruby Road” also introduces us to Ruby Sunday (played by Millie Gibson), who will serve as the Doctor’s companion in the upcoming season. Ruby has all the hallmarks of a great Davies-era companion: openly kind and compassionate to others; dedicated to her friends and family; willing to get a little reckless and impulsive, demonstrating bravery when something important is on the line; and known to get back up and try again when life gets her down.

Interestingly, the duo Gatwa and Gibson most remind me of are Classic Who’s Third Doctor and Jo Grant, played by Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning. (And not just because Fifteen’s shifting wardrobe has a certain Third Doctor charm.) I really enjoyed their team up and this special left me looking forward to their first season together.

New Who, New Tech

With its new cast and new partnership with Disney, Doctor Who appears to be setting up a soft reboot in hopes of attracting new fans (and maybe bringing back old ones who feel off the wagon along the way). Much like the recent anniversary specials, the 2023 Christmas special shows up a bigger budget for the series. We’re getting more sci-fi tech, special effects, and alien creatures.

I’m mostly excited to see how Doctor Who reshapes itself in this new era. However, I’ve noticed a slight pattern with these latest specials I’m hoping won’t continue. Between Fourteen’s sonic forcefield shields and Fifteen’s gravity-defying (excuse me, mavity-defying) gloves, I worry about the tech getting a little too Tony Stark. Don’t get me wrong — I like a fun sci-fi gadget as much as the next person. But I don’t want the Doctor to just become “the guy with the problem-solving gadgets.” 

The appeal of the character’s brilliance is in their expansive, obscure knowledge, fast-talking ways, and ability to pivot at a moment’s notice to avoid seemingly inevitable destruction. Inventing cool sci-fi tools can play a part in that, but can easily become too much of a plot crutch that detracts from what we love about the character. I guess what I’m saying is I hope the show leans more into speed-learning rope languages and singing to avoid being eaten, rather than superpowered gloves. I’d be happy to see Gatwa’s Doctor take on more of an action-heavy role — but I’m casting my vote for the return of Venusian Aikido, not Stark Tech.

“The Church on Ruby Road” Gives Doctor Who’s New Era A Solid Start

Outside of being a vehicle to introduce Fifteen and Ruby Sunday, “The Church on Ruby Road” does a solid job as an episode in general. The goblins provide a nice dose of holiday mischief, like a blend of Labyrinth and Gremlins. They maybe weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked, but they’re more of a plot device than a real villainy threat, so I can let that slide. I liked their ties to “bad luck,” which gave the story a bit of a fantasy edge, and the story blended the goblin plot with Ruby’s introduction to the Doctor and the world of Who well.

The special also showcases what the series will look like under the returning leadership of showrunner Russell T. Davies. We’re looking at a series that will no doubt embrace a bit of camp and the sillier side of sci-fi (like in the goblin musical number). We also get the first seeds planted of some ongoing mysteries. Who is Mrs. Flood, and why does she know about the TARDIS? And of course, who left Ruby at the church when she was a baby, and who are her biological parents? I like that Davies has dangled these threads in front of us early on to give fans something to hang on to.

Interestingly, Davies also used this special to pick up the “Timeless Child” plotpoint from previous showrunner Chris Chibnall’s era. Chibnall’s assertion that the Doctor was not actually Gallifreyan, but a foundling from an unknown planet raised on Gallifrey, proved divisive among Whovians. But Davies opted to use this story to create a parallel between Fifteen and his new companion. I’m interested to see how this plays out in the series going forward. (Could Ruby, like the Doctor, actually be from a different planet than the one she was raised on? I’ve been rooting for New Who to have an alien companion for years…)

As for the broader appeal of “The Church on Ruby Road,” I have to report that at least in my family, the episode surely did its job. I watched it with my parents, one of whom was an avid watcher of Classic Who and one who had never seen an episode from any era, and both said Gatwa’s first outing had them looking forward to more. I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting Gatwa and Gibson’s reappearance this spring.

The 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special “The Church on Ruby Road” is now streaming in the US on Disney+.